Why Your Faculty Meetings Are Wasting Time--How to Change It

Outline

1. Introduction and Session Overview (10 minutes)
Content: Present the common issues with traditional faculty meetings (e.g., top-down communication, lack of engagement, and misalignment with school vision). Briefly explain the session objectives.
Engagement: Open with a thought-provoking question: “How much time do you think your current faculty meetings waste?” Poll the audience using an online tool like Mentimeter or PollEverywhere to gather responses and display results in real-time.
Process: Encourage participants to think critically about their current meetings and share initial thoughts with a partner for a 2-minute discussion.
2. Identifying Common Pitfalls of Faculty Meetings (15 minutes)
Content: Discuss the pitfalls of traditional faculty meetings, including the overuse of announcements, lack of teacher input, and missed opportunities for collaboration.
Engagement: Split the audience into small groups (3-4 people) and have each group discuss the biggest time-wasters in their current meetings. Each group will then share a key takeaway with the room, which will be written on a whiteboard or digital collaborative tool (e.g., Padlet).
Process: Use peer-to-peer interaction and active audience participation to share common issues and create a collective "problem" list.
3. Shifting to Vision-Aligned, Purpose-Driven Meetings (10 minutes)
Content: Present the concept of a vision-aligned faculty meeting. Share real-world examples of how schools have transformed their meetings by connecting them to clear, measurable goals.
Engagement: Lead a quick poll where participants reflect on their school's vision statement. Ask, “Does your current faculty meeting agenda align with your school’s vision?” Discuss results and ask a few volunteers to share why or why not.
Process: Engage through polling and brief open-floor sharing. This helps participants evaluate their own practices in real-time.
4. Hands-On Activity: Designing a Vision-Aligned Meeting Agenda (15 minutes)
Content: Guide participants through creating a faculty meeting agenda that is directly tied to their school’s vision and includes time for collaboration and actionable takeaways.
Engagement: In small groups, participants will work together to draft a sample meeting agenda using a template provided. The agenda must reflect the school vision, include collaborative elements, and define clear action steps.
Process: Hands-on, collaborative creation of a meeting agenda. Groups will present their agendas, and facilitators will provide feedback.
5. Tracking Progress and Accountability (10 minutes)
Content: Teach participants simple methods for tracking progress from meeting to meeting (e.g., using Google Docs, Trello, or other project management tools). Emphasize the importance of accountability.
Engagement: Participants will engage in a quick, device-based activity where they select or customize a tracking tool that fits their school’s needs. Provide a downloadable template for immediate use.
Process: Device-based activity and interactive demo of tracking tools. Participants will receive a takeaway resource for implementation.
6. Closing & Q&A (10 minutes)
Content: Recap the session by reviewing the key takeaways and the importance of transforming faculty meetings into vision-driven, action-focused sessions.
Engagement: Open the floor for questions and discussion. Encourage participants to share insights or challenges they anticipate when implementing changes.
Process: Open Q&A session with audience-driven discussions. A final call-to-action invites participants to join the "Principals on the Come Up" Facebook group for continued support and resource sharing.
Engagement Tactics Recap:
Peer-to-peer interaction: Small group discussions, group brainstorming.
Device-based activities: Polls, collaborative tools (e.g., Padlet, Mentimeter), and progress-tracking tool demos.
Hands-on activity: Creation of a vision-aligned meeting agenda in groups.
Open discussion and Q&A: Throughout the session, participants will share insights, ask questions, and contribute to discussions.

Supporting research

Here are 10 resources, including books and articles by Robyn Jackson and Michael Fullan, that support the message of transforming faculty meetings and aligning them with a clear vision:

Books and Resources by Robyn Jackson:
"Stop Leading, Start Building: Turn Your School into a Success Story with the People and Resources You Already Have"

Focuses on transforming schools by building a clear vision and aligning all efforts with that vision.

"Never Work Harder Than Your Students and Other Principles of Great Teaching"

Offers insights on building a sustainable vision for effective teaching and leadership, emphasizing strategic alignment.

"How to Motivate Reluctant Learners"

This resource provides practical strategies for building teacher motivation, which can be linked to collaborative and vision-driven meetings.

"The Instructional Leader’s Guide to Strategic Conversations with Teachers"

Focuses on engaging teachers in meaningful conversations that foster progress towards shared school goals.

"Mindsteps Guide to the Four Disciplines of Buildership"

This guide introduces the core principles of Buildership™, which is essential for transforming school leadership and faculty meetings.

Books and Resources by Michael Fullan:

"Leading in a Culture of Change"

Explores how leaders can manage change by creating coherence around a shared vision and aligning all school efforts, including faculty meetings.

"The Six Secrets of Change: What the Best Leaders Do to Help Their Organizations Survive and Thrive"

Discusses building collective commitment and a vision that empowers school stakeholders to drive progress, especially in collaborative settings.

"Coherence: The Right Drivers in Action for Schools, Districts, and Systems" (with Joanne Quinn)

Provides a framework for building coherence around a shared vision, essential for faculty meetings that drive school improvement.

"Motion Leadership: The Skinny on Becoming Change Savvy"

Focuses on how school leaders can become catalysts for change by engaging faculty in the process of achieving the school vision.

"The Moral Imperative of School Leadership"

Highlights the role of school leaders in fostering a moral purpose, which can guide the structure and purpose of faculty meetings.